The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => Firewood and Wood Heating => Topic started by: Dieselsteve on September 01, 2013, 10:38:02 PM

Title: firewood business
Post by: Dieselsteve on September 01, 2013, 10:38:02 PM
Hey everyone, well I have been cutting firewood since I was a little boy with my Grandpa, and recently I picked up a Stihl ms440 magnum with a 25 inch bar, a husky 61 with a 20 inch bar a new 8 lb maul and a new fiskars super splitter (which I like a lot so far). I work for a tree service right now, and cut firewood on my off days. I live in Michigan Genesee, Tuscola county border which is close to the thumb. Im slowly running out of wood to cut and need to get my customer base going. Do any of you have any tips or advice on how to gain customers? I don't have any right now because I just decided to start selling it. And do any of you have any tips or advice on how to get people to let me cut on there land? I have about 10 cords maybe left on my land to cut. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Steve
Title: Re: firewood business
Post by: leonz on September 01, 2013, 11:26:28 PM
As you are in sugarbeet country a potential source is the local farmer
after harvest providing the ground is not muddy AND he or she has
not planted a winter wheat or rye crop.

You need insurance and the ability to show the land owner you have
insurance with both medical and liability as well as workmens compensation.

Its something you have to have as its only good business and proves
you are in it for the long haul.

Offering to sign liability waiver is not enough to gain access simply because the
land owner could still be held liable by your heirs.
Title: Re: firewood business
Post by: thecfarm on September 02, 2013, 11:12:42 AM
Could you just buy a load of logs to cut for firewood? If you are cutting trees down,than no wood is going to the customers. Than you have the equipment to maintain to get the trees out of the wood. In the state of Maine paper work needs to be filled out. It's not a big deal,but does take some time.
Title: Re: firewood business
Post by: Busy Beaver Lumber on September 26, 2013, 07:46:48 PM
DieselSteve

From my experiences Steve, one of the easiest ways to find firewood to cut or to buy at a decent price is to run an ad on craiglist in the wanted category.

Contacting local tree surgeons is also a good idea. A lot of them will let you have the wood for free or close to free if you give them an easy local place to dump the logs at.

Title: Re: firewood business
Post by: labdad on October 01, 2013, 02:17:22 PM
Quote from: Busy Beaver Lumber on September 26, 2013, 07:46:48 PM
DieselSteve

From my experiences Steve, one of the easiest ways to find firewood to cut or to buy at a decent price is to run an ad on craiglist in the wanted category.

Contacting local tree surgeons is also a good idea. A lot of them will let you have the wood for free or close to free if you give them an easy local place to dump the logs at.
+1 Local tree services are always looking for a place to dump, if you can keep up!